11 tours you never knew existed in Singapore

What’s faster and more stylish than a trishaw with blinking neon LED lights blaring loud music from an attached speaker? Look up Singapore Sidecars and hop on a ride in the sidecar of a Vintage Vespa for an unusual sight-seeing experience.

There are several tours on offer, such as a 60-minute Sidecar Ride Date for lovebirds that comes with a selection of pretty preserved flowers encased in a dome from social enterprise Bloomback.

Other experiences on offer include a Crazy Rich Asians tour and a party tour to popular drinking spots. You can even ask to customise your tour. What you can’t do is to drive the Vespa sidecar yourself.

Price: From $160 per person

Oriental Tours conducts 2.5- to 4-hour tours, including some unusual ones that will have you exploring secret spots rather than popular tourist sights.

The 3-hour Creepy Tales of Singapore tour will take you to some supposedly haunted sites together with “ghost hunting” equipment, while the 4-hour Journey Across The Heartland tour will let you experience the charm of some local spots. Fancy a tipple? Go bar-hopping on the 3-hour Nocturnal Gems tour at some of Singapore’s chicest locations.

While most tours are priced at $65 to $150 per person, they’ve got some bargains such as the Stories of Chinatown walking tour which costs just $10 per person.

Price: From $10 per person

Creepy Tales of World War II and Cemetery Tour

Credit: Native

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Speaking of all things spooky, the Creepy Tales of World War II and Cemetery Tour hosted by Native, let you explore the other haunted spots in Singapore. During the tour, you'll learn more about the spookiest stories about World War II and walk around a cemetery with ghost-hunting equipment.  Not for the faint-hearted, this tour will start on one of the last and fiercest battles of WWII went down, where many lost their lives on. After which, you will also be guided to one of the world's largest Chinese cemeteries where you'll find over 100,000 tombs.

Price: From $147 per person

Tribe Tours has 20 curated tours with a strong focus on traditional foods and Singapore’s fast-disappearing past.

Their Hawkerwalk — Old School Snacks tour will take you down memory lane as you tuck into food from yesteryear. Another memorable experience is the outdoor escape room game tour that will take you all over Chinatown on a search for a serial killer, while learning little-known facts about the area.

Choose from 2-hour walks to half-day tours, and expect group sizes to be kept small and cosy.

Price: From $45 per person

Take a walk on the wet side on a dive trip with Lighthouse Adventure Co. The company offers scuba diving certification courses for novice and experienced divers.

Once you know how to dive, you can discover underwater Singapore on a dive trip. Their next trip will take you to Pulau Hantu and comprises two guided dives starting at $150 per person.

They’re currently offering dive promotion bundles for those who wish to buy their own equipment. For $840, you get a Tecline Peanut 16 BCD and a free buoyancy workshop worth $200. $1,825 gets you a Tecline Peanut 16 BCD, V1 ICE DIR regulator set and a free SDI buoyancy course with certification worth $350.

Price: From $150 per person

Since you have to wear a mask everywhere, it might as well be a diving mask. Cuddlefish Divers conducts dive courses and dive leisure trips that will have you exploring the waters around Singapore.

Since overseas trips are not possible at the moment, their dive trips all go to Pulau Hantu, with slots available every week. There are two options: guided ($110) and non-guided ($138). Gear rental costs an additional $20, but you’ll need your own wetsuit.

Want to dive more often? Thanks to their 3-trip promo, you can purchase a set of 3 trips at $98 each with no guide, or $130 with a guide. You must have at least three divers on each trip.

Price: From $110

Can’t take to the skies on a plane to your dream destination — not even to nowhere? Think land tours can get too crowded? Your best bet is to head out to sea.

Sail away into the sunset on a luxury yacht trip with One 15 Luxury Yachting, leaving the pandemic behind you for just a moment, thanks to this sunset cruise with a staycation package.

It includes a 2-hour joyride on a private yacht for up to 5 guests, and a 1-night room stay with breakfast for 2. To sweeten the deal, you will also receive a complimentary bottle of prosecco.

Price: From $883++

A favourite of tourists, Monster Day Tours conducts free walking tours.

Each tour covers a specific tourist area such as Chinatown, Little India or Kampong Glam. You can also opt for tours focusing on culture, food and nightlife.

Aside from the walking promos, you can also choose to have your own private tour where your tour guide will bring you to explore some of the city's best iconic sights and try out some of the best places to grab some delicious local grub and visit some of the most happening nightlife spots in town.

Price: From $225 per tour 

Want to work up a sweat as you take in the sights of Singapore? If the hot and humid climate isn’t enough for you, hop on a bicycle with The Cycle Startup as they take you on a cycling tour. Its current tours range from 3 to 5 hours.

Most of its tours will take you from Punggol to Pasir Ris Beach Park, Lorong Halus and Coney Island. Each group comprises 1 to 4 participants, and you will cycle 15km to 20km, depending on the tour selected.

Price: From $21 per person

Foodies, this one is for you. Everyday Tour Company (ETC) is known for their local off-the-beaten track tours, and the Everyday Street Art & Street Food Tour is definitely one to bookmark if you're looking to sample authentic local food.

Rather than the frequent spots often visited by commercial tours, ETC's food stops will bring you to places like neighbourhood markets, small street food artisans, traditional bakeries and much more. The small businesses featured are specially handpicked to reflect artisanal techniques, and you'll also able to get a quick crash course on the herbs and spices that are used in the traditional culinary kitchens of this region.

This tour is the ultimate feast for the stomach and eyes – in between eating stops, you'll be able to walk off the food by journeying through atmospheric alleys to explore unique street art. Notably, the tour is also vegetarian-friendly and can be fully customised for those who are gluten-free or vegan. Still not convinced? This was the tour that Jada Smith and family went on during their visit in the city.

Besides food-focused tours, ETC also hosts a number of other tours, including one that explores public housing in the heartlands and another that's dedicated to the architectural gems around the city.

Price: From $300 (for 1 - 3 people)

Yes, Singapore is a small island. But there are smaller islands surrounding it. Why not venture beyond our local beaches and check out these mini islands nearby? Yacht Cruise SG offers what you need to get you there.

Visit Singapore’s southern islands on a yacht, cruising past Pulau Hantu, Semakau Island (our national landfill), Raffles Lighthouse, Sister Islands, St John’s Island, Lazarus Island, Kusu Island, Marina Bay and Sentosa Island.

You’ll listen to commentary from a licensed tour guide while munching on onboard refreshments.

Price: $39 per person
Bonus tip
Check out offers on Klook to find tours at a discount. Simply book your coupons online, and then claim them before they expire.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.